The Silicon Valley Of Malaysia

A township with a science park that forms a key part of the Multimedia Super Corridor in Malaysia, Cyberjaya is located in the district of Sepang, Selangor, and is situated about 30km south of Kuala Lumpur.

Constantly aspiring to be known as the Silicon Valley of Malaysia, this township’s, official opening ceremony created the way for high hopes on 17th May 1997.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, then-Prime Minister, Tun Dato’ Sri Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad said, “The establishment of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC Malaysia) and Cyberjaya in particular, will enable Malaysians to leap into the Information Age. We hope to create the ideal environment that will attract world-class companies to use it as a regional multi-cultural information age hub.”

According to Cyberview Sdn Bhd, “the idea for a high-tech city akin to the Silicon Valley stemmed from a study on the setting up of MSC Malaysia by management consultancy McKinsey & Co in 1995. In fact, Cyberjaya was to be the core of MSC Malaysia, a designated zone where technology entrepreneurs and global multinationals would enjoy attractive tax breaks as well as access to world-class human capital and infrastructure at a developing nation’s costs. The ambitious project would then spearhead Malaysia’s transformation into a new knowledge economy, one that would be better able to compete on the world stage.”

The city currently has a population of approximately 90,000 people with a well-rounded eco-system for its citizens to “Work, Live, Study and Play”. By 2016, Cyberjaya will be transformed into a city with a sizeable residential population who will call Cyberjaya their home as more than 25 developers are investing over RM20 billion into various development projects, gradually changing the city’s image to not only an intelligent city, but also a liveable one.

The company also stated that “with the lead of Cyberview Sdn Bhd as the Cybercity Manager, this supportive and supple ecosystem will attract investors. This includes providing a collaborative environment along with incentives, such as competitive rental rates, flexible repayment schemes, building allowances and customised solutions for investors based on their business requirements, budget and growth plans.”

In 1996, Nippon Telephone and Telegraph (NTT) agreed to develop a research and development (R&D) facility in Cyberjaya, which proved to be the project’s catalyst. Soon, other corporate giants like Dell, Hewlett Packard, DHL and Shell began to follow suit. With global icons establishing their presence in Cyberjaya, the entire ecosystem has begun to form itself naturally.

THE INTELLIGENT CITY

The Government soon identified the development of a zone within Cyberjaya as the Cyberjaya Flagship Zone (CFZ), which was designated for activities related to MSC Malaysia. Established on 28th March 1997, Setia Haruman Sdn Bhd was entrusted with the responsibilities of the Master Developer of Cyberjaya to develop the city’s physical infrastructure as well as its facilities.

Currently, Cyberjaya is a planned city with 48 percent of its land being dedicated to greenery, public facilities and amenities — that is twice that of a typical township in Malaysia!

On the other hand, 21 percent have been allocated for residential, 17 percent industrial, nine percent commercial and five percent institutional.

Setia Haruman itself recently launched Ceria Residences in July 2014, which is located on 19.5 acres of freehold land comprising a total of 500 residential units, of which 150 units are elegant double-storey landed homes and 350 units are exquisite condominiums.

According to the Executive Director of Setia Haruman, Lao Chok Keang, Ceria Residences is ideal for young growing families. “This project was specifically inspired by the needs and demands of these families, especially those in the working community of Cyberjaya who desired modern, quality homes at affordable prices. To meet these expectations, Ceria Residences incorporated contemporary features that promoted a healthy lifestyle amidst good natural settings.”

“Its architectural forms and spaces complement the surrounding environment, whereby a 3.5-acre land has been set aside to be a recreational park (called Rimbun Ceria) equipped with fitness stations, rest areas, a playground, water jets and running spaces. The residents would also get to enjoy the clubhouse and its facilities (called Anjung Ceria) that endorse healthy leisure activities, such as the outdoor fitness centre with an aqua gym, swimming pool, spa and wading pool, two indoor badminton courts and a gymnasium.” Lao added.

For the residents’ peace of mind, Ceria Residences also provides an integrated security system with CCTVs, vehicle card access and perimeter intrusion systems for its fully gated and guarded community.

As for the individual units at Ceria Condominiums, they have been designed over distinctive “semi-detached and bungalow” floor layouts that are imbued with excellent ventilation and natural light.

These condominiums also offer a unique dual-key concept for larger units, allowing a single owner to have two homes at once! They also come with a studio suite attached with its own living space and kitchen that’s been meticulously designed for families to stay with their parents, children or close siblings.

Lao said, “Each of the dual-key units can also be rented out as it stands independently with a separate key and entrance. At Ceria Condominiums, every unit comes with two free covered car parks, whereas the larger Type C dual-key unit comes with three free covered car parks. Furthermore, all bedrooms and living rooms are equipped with air conditioners (4 Nos. split-unit air conditioners for Type A and 6 Nos. split-unit air conditioners for Types B & C units).”

Another salient feature of Ceria Residences is its ready telecommunication infrastructure that offers 100 mbps internet broadband at a very competitive price of RM179 per month.

Thus far, Setia Haruman has claimed that the overall gross development value (GDV) for Ceria Residences is about RM340 million. “Some of Cyberjaya’s residential properties have almost doubled in the past five years, where generally the price appreciation has ranged between 10 to 20 percent per annum for residential properties,” commented Lau.

A PIECE OF HEAVEN ON EARTH

Having been the pioneer in coining the renowned “LiveLearnWorkPlay” concept as the ECO philosophy in all S P Setia Berhad’s developments, the Group braved the challenge of stepping into Cyberjaya with the development of Setia Eco Glades.

With a unique concept and design of thematically different islands, this residential project clearly displayed its inspiration from cultural diversity that’s been perfected by nature and technology.

The Setia Eco Glades project sits on 268 acres of freehold land and involves a GDV of RM3 billion.

Since commencing construction in 2012, the enclave has set itself apart as a luxurious gated and guarded development consisting of high-rise condos, low-rise residences, super links, semi-detached units, bungalows and commercial lots.

The masterplan of Setia Eco Glades has is divided into five products, namely Liu Li Gardens, Lepironia Gardens, Sanctuary of Western Heritage, Sanctuary of Eastern Heritage and Isle of Kamares.

The latter being one of the most privileged glades among the islands, Isle of Kamares is located at the southern part of Setia Eco Glades and stands tall with the warm and timeless charm of Mediterranean architecture, exuding elegance, tranquillity and serenity. Moreover, waterways that reminiscent the European canals enhance the island’s view with a visually and environmentally cooling effect.

Isle of Kamares consists of 20 blocks of low-rise apartments, resembling a resort villa structure. Plus it comprises of two different designs that have a built up between 1,414 sq. ft. to 1,521 sq. ft.. Inspired by houses in the Mediterranean, the building façade carries elements that are unique to the region, including clay roof tiles, symmetrical façades, stucco walls and ornamental detailing.

What’s more, features like courtyards, open arches and big windows allow a fresh flow of breeze through common corridors, whilst the exterior is painted with colours like off-white and cream, reflecting heat away to keep these residences cool for its occupants.

On top of that, the development‘s delicately constructed paved walkways, stone walls and terracotta coloured structures, create a striking contrast to the delicate flowering shrubs, leaving a solid boulder to add weight to its greenery.

With “green” as its main theme, hence Isle of Kamares’s Garden of Royal Fragrance’s existence — a garden filled with flora such as lush plants, aromatic herbs, graceful climbers and many colourful blooms, the development’s design couldn’t be any more scenic. Not forgetting water features like ponds and a water fountain, Setia Eco Glades lives up to its name in every way.

As an additional proposition, Setia Eco Glades’s master plan design also has been based on the Green Building Index (GBI) certification criteria, resulting in a project full of homes and community facilities that are GBI certified. With the gated and guarded enclave of Setia Eco Glades having green features like eco-friendly paint, rainwater harvesting and LED lighting for a smaller carbon footprint, this residential landscape is bound to be nothing but sustainable.

Since its inception, the S P Setia brand has always been clear about creating eco lifestyles with a distinct emphasis on the environment for the communities, a conducive environment where they can live, learn, work and play in a safe haven.

COMMERCIAL FACILITIES

Currently, over 800 MSC Status companies have already relocated their operations to Cyberjaya, making this township a rapidly growing area for the working class on an international level. Some of them include companies like T-systems, Dell, Hewlett Packard,
DHL, Satyam, Wipro, HSBC, Motorola, OCBC, BMW, IBM, Shell IT, Vivanova Systems, the Response Centre of the Anti Money Laundering Network as well as many others.

There are also a few neighbourhood malls within the area such as Shaftsbury Square, D’Pulze Shopping Centre, Gem In Mall, Centrus @ CBD Perdana 3, The Street Mall, Prima Avenue and
Neo Cyber. On top of that, Pan’gaea and Tamarind Square are two upcoming malls that are due to open in the near future.

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

There are approximately 23,000 students in Cyberjaya and 40 percent of its university students are foreigners. Multimedia University (MMU) was one of the higher education institutions that acted as an early component of Cyberjaya since July 1999. The brainchild of the country’s fourth prime minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, this campus was to be the center of learning and research for the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), a 750 km² area designated as the country’s high-tech research and industrial area.

Other higher education institutions in Cyberjaya include Limkokwing University of Creative Technology and Universiti Islam Malaysia (UIM), whilst colleges like Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences,
Cyber Putra College and Kirkby International College are also in the area.

As for primary and secondary
schools, there are several choices: Sekolah Kebangsaan Cyberjaya, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Cyberjaya, Sekolah Seri Puteri and elc International School.

PUBLIC AMENITIES

As an emerging township, Cyberjaya now has a police station complex and a fire station. Apart from that, other completed public amenities include a small recreational park just next to MMU, the Cyberjaya Community Club, bus shelters, pedestrian walkways and signalised pedestrian crossings at road junctions and more than 700 free parking bays.

The Cyberjaya Lake Gardens is the 400-acre ‘green lung’ for Cyberjaya. At present, about 86 acres of the land have been developed with facilities like a visitors’ information centre, boardwalk, look-out tower, children’s playground, 15 acres of main lake and 29 acres of natural and wetland.

Other outdoor recreational facilities include a mini park that’s adjacent to MMU, a 3.5km promenade area next to the Putrajaya Lake and a sports arena with more than 360 free parking bays, one basketball court, one tennis court, two futsal courts, a football field and a small food court.

As for indoor recreational facilities, the Cyberjaya Community Club that’s developed by Cyberview has been the point of congregation for many. With two futsal courts, two badminton courts, a gymnasium, two squash courts, swimming pool, a go-kart circuit and a golf driving range, it is a hive of activity.

ACCESSIBILITY

The KL-Putrajaya Highway will cut short the travel time by car from Kuala Lumpur to Cyberjaya to 20 minutes, as well as allow motorists from Kuala Lumpur and other places along its alignment to get to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in 30 minutes.

Also, thanks to the KLIA Ekspress, residents in the area will be able to enjoy easy access to the airport with the express rail link (ERL) transit service to Cyberjaya and Putrajaya. Due to the closeness of these cities, they’d share the same station in Putrajaya. There are also feeder buses that run from the Putrajaya Sentral station to the rest of Putrajaya and Cyberjaya, including the city’s single bus terminal, Cyberjaya Transport Terminal.

On top of that, there’s also the North-South Expressway Central Link (also known as ELITE Highway) and the North Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) that will reduce the travel time from Cyberjaya to the nation’s main port, Port Klang, to less than an hour.

To further improve its internal transportation, Cyberview has also launched a free park-and-ride system that will serve as a viable alternative for those wishing to commute without having to drive themselves.

CONCLUSION

According to Setia Haruman Sdn Bhd, Cyberjaya is currently receiving full support from the Government on its transformation into a global technological hub, so it’s no wonder that the general notion of excitement is in the air to see what is in store for this township over the next five to 10 years.

In terms of infrastructure, the latest project would be the upcoming MRT 2 line that will commence construction next year. With two MRT stations in place in Cyberjaya, the rail connection to Kuala Lumpur and other major conurbations will be thoroughly enhanced.

There is also a High Speed Rail (HSR) project in the pipeline to pass through Putrajaya/Cyberjaya connecting to Singapore in a mere one-and-a-half hours. Also, the MEX 2 highway connecting Cyberjaya to KLIA will increase Cyberjaya’s connectivity and convenience, adding credence to it as a gateway to global businesses as well as a premier residential address.

As for amenities and facilities, a public hospital is expected to start building in Cyberjaya in the next year, whilst a 400-room Holiday Inn hotel is already under construction and expected to be ready in 2017. Other than that, plans for more educational institutions and a hypermarket is set to roll out within the next five years.